The forest was a chaotic mess. Orochimaru faced a ninja, seemingly over forty, with messy hair and a scar beneath his left eye. They stood locked in a tense standoff.
Orochimaru's hoarse voice cut through. "You're no ordinary ninja. Why haven't I heard of you?"
The ninja's stern face gave no answer. Years of effort—his bandit empire—had been obliterated. His mood was black, but killing the young Sannin before him, a prized disciple of the Third Hokage, would salve the loss.
He formed seals rapidly. "Water Release: Raging Waves!"
A torrent surged toward Orochimaru with a roar.
Orochimaru countered, hands flashing. "Earth Release: Mud Wall!"
A sturdy wall rose, absorbing the water's impact. Seconds later, a crack splintered the barrier, a meter-wide circle buckling under the pressure.
Orochimaru spun, arm poised, anticipating the ninja's next move.
Silence fell, broken only by the soft whistle of wind.
Orochimaru's senses sharpened.
A wind blade sliced through the wall, exploding it into a shower of rocks. Orochimaru leaped aside.
"Ninja Art: Dust Cloud!" the ninja bellowed, spewing a thick cloud of dust from his mouth.
Visibility vanished, and breathing grew labored.
Orochimaru closed his eyes, relying on his snakes' infrared senses to track the ninja's heat signature. The bandit, unaware, assumed Orochimaru was blinded.
He charged, snarling, "Die!"
Bang! Orochimaru dodged a fist in the dust. The ninja's leg swept sideways, aiming for Orochimaru's ribs.
Orochimaru tilted, blocking with his forearms. Both combatants staggered back two steps.
Dust swirled, muffling sound and sight. The ninja unleashed a flurry of over ten attacks, each parried by Orochimaru's precise movements.
Suddenly, Orochimaru's hand shot out, seizing the ninja's chest.
The ninja's eyes widened. With a boom, the cracked wall behind collapsed further.
Orochimaru yanked the ninja's body, slamming it against the rubble. His leg whipped out like lightning, striking the ninja's abdomen.
"Ugh…" The ninja coughed blood, his body hurled backward by the force.
Orochimaru formed seals. "Earth Release: Earth Dragon Bullet!"
A massive earth dragon roared toward the ninja.
The ninja pressed his hands to the ground. Dozens of explosive tags sprang up, adhering to the dragon. A deafening explosion shattered the construct into debris.
When the smoke cleared, the ninja was gone.
Orochimaru stood still, opting not to pursue. The tags were a pre-set trap—more could lurk ahead. He wasn't keen on being blown apart.
He turned back toward Rogue Town.
There, his Earth clone and Tatsumi awaited, along with Mikoto and Nawaki.
"Did you catch him, Sensei?" Tatsumi asked.
Orochimaru's golden eyes met Tatsumi's. He shook his head. "He escaped."
Nawaki, arms crossed, grinned. "No big deal, Sensei. Even I mess up sometimes. Don't sweat it."
Orochimaru ignored him, leading them to a cellar. "This is where the leader stashed the loot. Let's inventory it."
Inside, Tatsumi's eyes widened. Gold bars, silver ingots, and ornate porcelain antiques gleamed. He'd never seen such wealth.
"Am I dreaming?" Tatsumi muttered, then slapped Nawaki's face.
Nawaki yelped, clutching his cheek. "…"
Tatsumi nodded. "Not a dream."
"Why'd you hit me?!" Nawaki jabbed a finger at him.
"Too much stress," Tatsumi said, grinning. "My hands got a mind of their own."
He spun, hugging Mikoto. "We're rich, Mikoto! Mission spoils! We're hitting the big leagues!"
Orochimaru's hoarse voice cut in. "Time to learn who holds Konoha's real authority."
Tatsumi crouched before Orochimaru, flashing a sheepish smile. "Sensei, look at all this loot. Don't you want a closer peek?"
"It'll be shipped to Konoha in two days," Tatsumi groaned, wincing. "Such a shame."
"I'll oversee the transport," Orochimaru said coolly.
"Sensei, you're missing the point," Tatsumi said, wiggling dramatically. "Konoha gets these riches, builds a hospital, a tower—great. But what's that to us? The Third Hokage's just using our spoils to win over Konoha's ninjas."
Orochimaru's face remained impassive.
Tatsumi pressed on, exasperated. "Konoha's the richest of the Five Nations, but we're broke! Shouldn't the village fix our wallets first?"
"These treasures belong with the right people," Tatsumi urged.
Orochimaru didn't budge.
Tatsumi leaned in. "I checked the haul, Sensei. There's a forbidden jutsu scroll in there."
Orochimaru's eyes glinted.
"I pulled it out," Tatsumi continued. "No one else knows. Hand it to you, maybe?"
Orochimaru hesitated, then nodded. "I've considered recommending you for genin, Tatsumi, but you're still a student. Instead, pick something from the loot you want. Go."
Tatsumi saluted earnestly. "Thank you, Sensei!"
He darted off to sift through the treasures.
Orochimaru began searching, eyeing scrolls for his research funds. He spotted one on a table and picked it up.
His expression darkened. The air grew heavy.
"What's wrong, Sensei?" Tatsumi asked.
"There's a problem," Orochimaru said gravely.
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